EDITORIAL: After a long dither the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has finally announced that general elections would be held in the last week of January — over two months past the constitutionally mandated 90–day time limit.
Yet, it stopped short of giving a date for the electoral exercise. As per its statement, constituencies’ delimitation work is to be completed and list of constituencies published on September 27, and that after hearing the objections and suggestions on it, the final list will be released on November 30, followed by a 54-day period for electioneering.
Taking into account all these procedural requirements, the polling date should have been fixed for January 24. The ECP’s reluctance to do that comes across as a deliberate piece of obfuscation.
The electoral body seems to think it is law unto itself, encouraged to behave in this way by the outgoing PDM (Pakistan Democratic Movement) coalition government when it amended Section 57 of the Election Act, empowering the ECP to fix a date for general elections even though the Constitution says the president will give that date on dissolution of the assembly on the prime minister’s advice, as in the present instance.
Accordingly, President Arif Alvi wrote a letter to the ECP suggesting November 6 date in consonance with 90-day timeline set by the Constitution, only to see it disregarded with utter disdain. Earlier, the ECP had also refused to fulfil its constitutional obligation when the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies were dissolved.
Moreover, it had defied the Supreme Court’s order to hold Punjab election on May 14 trotting out all kinds of untenable excuses, fully backed by the then PDM ruling coalition. Given its dubious track record, the ECP may yet again push the elections further down the line on one pretext or another. Two major parties, the PPP and PML-N, have welcomed the vague announcement for January elections whilst abstaining from demanding a firm date. Predictably, the PTI, along with ANP, has called for a precise date, with the former declaring its intention to challenge the January timeline in court.
Sadly, to the democratic process’ detriment the Constitution is no longer a reference point for the electoral body –- even for political parties like the PML-N and PPP — as it acts at the behest of certain quarters.
If it is really serious this time around about doing its duty it should announce the polling date. No ifs and buts, such as snowing in the mountainous northern regions during January, would be acceptable. The prevailing political uncertainty, which is exacerbating the economic crisis must come to an end. As for the caretaker government’s role, interim Information Minister Murtaza Solangi has stated that all-out assistance, including resources, administrative assistance and security, would be provided to the ECP to hold general elections within the specified timeframe.
That though is a given. But he also said that the ECP is responsible for creating a ‘level playing field’. Is that not the primary responsibility of the caretakers? It’s a vexing remark and can easily lend credence to PTI’s allegations that political engineering is under way to keep it out in the cold. The last thing this country needs is another election blighted by pre-poll rigging controversy.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023